René Morrell – Empowering Black Collegiate Artists – The René Anna Morrell Scholarship Fund

The René Anna Morrell Scholarship Fund (RAM Fund) is a philanthropic initiative that receives charitable funding to distribute unrestricted use micro-grants to Black Diaspora students enrolled at the School of the Art Institute of Chicago. Established in 2022, this trust-based initiative is funded through individual donors consisting of past and present Chicago residents, art patrons, artists, and arts administrators. As an artist, René understands the importance of collaboration between community and artists. The RAM Fund aims to alleviate financial strain so Black collegiate artists can continue to hone their skill while demonstrating the strength of an autonomous, community driven initiative.

Due to growing popularity of the fund, René sought external resources to assure an efficient funding cycle. In a change this year, René offered honorariums to current MAAAP students as an incentive to serve as panelists, offering an “in-house” opportunity to gain additional administrative experience. René also invested in a photographer whose photographs will serve as the foundation for RAM Fund’s digital archive and will be used for marketing materials.